Demon among Angels
by manta321
Summary: Cass is a normal girl. Well as normal as a Demon Hunter could be. Her travels take her around the world, but when she comes across the host club, her entire world is turned upside down.
1. Chapter 1

**all rights reserved**

* * *

The boy was tall with spiky blue hair that extended in all directions with the assistance of hair gel. He wore black leather that clashed handsomely with his moonlight-colored skin. He leaned against the chair, not bothering to avoid the stares of admiration being directed his way. He was more focused on keeping up his calm act, though his breathing gave him away. It was rough and ragged, proving to the people around him that he had been running insanely large distances.

He wiped a strand of hair out of his sweat-soaked face. People came up and asked him questions or told him to move, but he didn't oblige to their wishes. Apparently there was some sort of club held in the supposed "unused" music room. There were several circular tables set up all around the room, with small china teacups and small plates with silverware on either side along with folded crimson napkins, where schoolgirls sat opposite fairly handsome young men. The boy couldn't help but admire his own ability to choose a hiding place from the ones hunting him.

Someone had explained to him that those with either insane raw talent, rich, or high standing young people were welcomed at Ouran Academy. It had sounded like the perfect place to escape his pursuers, who would look for a demon among angels? He felt a second set of teeth begin to churn in the back of his skull in anticipation, willing him to attack now. He had already taken a beautiful delicacy the day before, but that had only increased his need to kill even more. His adrenaline raised as his will to devour human flesh grew stronger. Eventually, it would be uncontrollable, and even the blue-haired boy would be powerless to stop it.

He eyed the crowd of girls that gathered around the tables, in their own way of interrogating the males kicked back in the chairs facing them. Once or twice, the boy saw the men stand and brush against the girls cheek or swoon her in his arms. He found himself smiling as the idea of what his pursuers would think if they found out he had been hiding in a clubhouse.

They'd probably kill him for lying to them, even though it was the truth. There were no solid facts pinning the boy to the school, or lead anyone to discover his whereabouts. Who would look for a demon among angles?

Cass forced her way into the room, her brow sweating and stinging from the recent run she endured to reach the staircase. She was so close, nothing could stop her now. Cass felt unstoppable as she rushed down the velvet carpet and slammed the ivory doors open. She rolled on her black clad knees and drew her knife.

Ever hunter carried a knife, each engraved with their own runes. Cass carried several knives with her, each with a different use and reason for existing. This knife had precision runes traced from the tip of the blade to the leather-bound handle she gripped loosely with her long pale slender fingers. She sliced it threatening through the air before launching herself at her target.

She didn't need her sensor-which was going off like crazy- to know who she was assigned to hunt. It was a tall boy with pale skin and unusual blue hair spiked up with what seemed to be hair gel. Though he wore an Academy uniform there was no doubt he wasn't a student. The moment he saw Cass, his eyes widened and tried to casually escape through the window. Only Cass wouldn't allow that.

She lunged at him. Her long maroon hair slashed at her face and fell into her eyes, obscuring her vision. But Cass didn't need to see to know that she had him on top of him, successfully pinning him against the cold tiled floor.

She whipped her hair out of her face as he managed to turn the tables, literally. He used his legs to twist a table over onto Cass causing her to roll out of the direction of the falling furniture dragging the target over her. He bared his teeth, showing off in human fangs sharper than needles, before plunging them deep into her wrist.

She yelped but didn't stop her from retaliating. She moved moved her hands around his neck, pushing the sleeves of her jacked up to her elbows and exposing her rune-coated skin. Cass slammed his head against the floor to her left with enough force that would leave him a bit woozy. The pounding sound echoed through out the music room as she pushed herself on top of his dizzy body.

She held the to his throat, allowing it to cut ever-so-slightly into the fake skin he was wearing. Cass leaned forward over the body, her adrenaline cooling with the realization that she had won the brawl.

Her carrot hair fell into his eyes glowing crimson with anger and vengeance. She felt him struggle but move so that she held down both his arms and legs, forcefully restricting any movement from her target.

Her head hovered above his ear and whispered, "Where is he?" Her voice was sharp and cold, like the blessed steel pressed against his neck.

But the boy with the blue hair just laughed, making it clear that he wasn't threatened at all by Cass. He knew he had the information she and hundreds of others had been trying to force out of him, so in order to achieve the info they couldn't kill him. The hunters needed him alive to answer their questions, fulfilling his every whim until he was ready to share what he knew.

"You won't kill me," he explained to her, eyes closed with his head tilted back. He had been in this situation too many times to know what the face of the hunter looked like when they saw their prey laughing in their faces: confused, alarmed, maybe even a little scared. But when he looked at Cass's face, what he saw scared him more than the knife pressed against his throat. Cass looked livid. She was annoyed with his arrogance, she was tired from her flight, and she most certainly wasn't going to tolerate any shit from the demon. "You can't kill me." He added slowly, consciously becoming unsure of his words.

Cass's eyes were gleaming with adrenaline and pleasure as she raked his neck gently with her knife. She looked psychotic, petting her target with the curved blade purring slightly. Suddenly the blue-haired boy realized something he hadn't seen in the other two-thousand hunters that had tracked him: she was completely willing to kill him and walk away without a second thought.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked cooly her eyes narrowing as she moved the knife slowly, allowing black blood to soak her fingers. The boy eyed her rune covered skin, searching for a clue as to who she is. His eyes traveled along her body, searching for some form of identification. He was certain she would kill him if he failed to place her. "I'll give you a hint," she whispered running her blood-covered hand along his face. He waited patiently as she stroked downward to the wound.

She whispered a single word in his ear. Four letters. One syllable. This one word managed to cause a reaction millions of hunters had failed to cause: fear. The blue haired boy felt it wash over him like a tsunami, completely erasing all hope for survival. Cass was going to kill him in the worst was possible, he was sure of that now. He stared desperately into her cold green eyes, silently begging forgiveness of his past sins.

Then he saw something. Something brief. Something that flashed across her left eye. It was emotion. It was something no one had bothered to express to him. Maybe because he was a devil, or a spawn of hell's flame. Whatever the case, no one had ever given him the privilege of showing him sympathy. He smiled. Gazing the hardened jade color of her eyes that had softened ever so slightly.

And with a smile, he vaporized.

Cass straightened herself out, but refused to get to her feet. She gripped the ashes, allowing a steady stream to slip through her fingers. This hadn't happened before. Her mind had hit a blank, as she stared out the window towards the darkening sky.

She threw the ashes up in the air, letting out a scream. She forced herself to her feet, running her hands roughly through her red curls. The ashes of the suicidal demon flowing around her like rain.

Cass felt hands on her, soft gently hands attempting to calm her. She grabbed then, automatically assuming they belonged to someone she knew, and dragged them down to her by forcing them down on on knee.

Her breathing was ragged, but tears simply refused to slip out of her eyes. She wanted to cry. She wanted to weep so hard she couldn't breathe. But she couldn't force the tears to come. So she just sat there, forcing herself to continue to breathe shakily.

"They're killing themselves now," she whispered to no one in particular. Cass closed her eyes and clawed into the shirt she was holding on for dear life. It was then that she realized, the fabric was completely foreign to her. It wasn't the familiar worn leather everyone she knew wore. It was soft and crumpled easily in her fingers.

She didn't care though. She just wanted something to hold on to. Some to anchor her thoughts so she could collect them. She buried her head in the person's shoulder and finally the water gates opened and the flood began.


	2. Chapter 2

Eren leaned against the doorframe, panting slightly. He wasn't as fast as his younger teammate, but had a strong endurance level which kept him farther ahead of the rest of his team. What he saw was a ring of what he recognized as demon ashes surround Cass; who clung to an unknown blond student who hugged her back whispering soothing words into her ear. Eren moved towards them, careful to step over the circle of ashes, and knelt beside the blond male. He looked over at Eren, flashing unusual dark purple irises in Eren's direction. He began to peel his youngest teammate off the stranger, but his efforts were restricted because the student held Cass close to him glaring untrustingly in Eren's direction.

"Let me take it from here," he whispered and smiled trustingly at the student. And the student allowed him to take Cass off him. It didn't take him long to pry Cass from the blond, but when he did she completely fell apart, sobbing uncontrollably. Anger rose into his cheeks they faded into a dark red color. Eren turned to face the student, convinced it was his meddling that causes his team member to loose it.

His eyes traveled around the room, hardly caring to stop on the students surrounding them, creating a second circle. Eren froze when he saw two figures he recognized, leaning against the doorframe. The two were the young members on his team, and the only ones that shared legitimate blood-relations. The two were brothers, identical twins to be exact. Both with platinum blond hair and overgrown bangs falling into playful amber eyes, right at this very moment were staring expectantly into Eren's own golden ones.

Eren jerked his head to the side, gesturing for the twins to come closer, they obliged without hesitation and rushed to his side, careful to step over the ash.

"Zay," Eren whispered to the eldest twin, "Get her out of here." Zay nodded as his team leader handed the girl over to him.

"What about you?" Shay, the younger brother asked as he pushed himself to his feet, dragging Cass with him.

Eren glanced to the side at the blond student. "I think there might be more, but all you need worry about is that," he pointed at Cass's forearm where red blood was flowing out, and some bone was visible. There was a good chance she had been poisoned by the demon, and even if she hadn't a wound like that needed to be treated immediately. "Don't worry:" Eren whispered quickly placing both hands on the twins' outside shoulders. He pulled them close and added, "but if I don't make it, just take care of Cass." The brothers nodded and Shay grabbed Cass's other arm and were gone. Eren sighed as he turned back to the crowd, the twins could go ridiculously fast when the wanted to.

His attention turned on to the blond, who still stood in the center of the circle. Ever since Eren had entered the room the boy had seemed suspicious to him. He looked too perfect, angelic almost. And that was the look all demons went for, to fool the hunters around them. Eren had learned to acquire trust issues after his first run-in with a shapeshifter, and had passed this knowledge throughout his team, warning them of the consequences that come from easy-trusting.

Eren took a step forward and the crowd in front of him shivered and backed up. Eren smiled and stooped up his subordinate's knife, which had appeared to have been separated from her in the fight, and stored it in his left sleeve. For the first time, Eren made eye contact with the student. The boy didn't shirk against it or back down, he remained calm and stared respectfully back into Eren's harsh green eyes.

"I'd like to thank you," He began without moving, "for tending to Cassandra." The boy looked take aback, like appreciation was the last thing he would get from Eren.

"It was nothing," the boy replied hastily breaking their eye contact by glancing down at the floor to his left. "You really don't have to-."

"Oh, but I do, honestly. You saw she was injured and traumatized, and needed help. But what I can't put together is why." He gazed expectantly into the boy's eyes, analyzing him. Putting two and two together.

"What do you mean?"

The smile he gave disturbed Eren.

"You are Tamaki Souh. You attend this disgustingly posh school. You used to live in France but moved here I suppose to take over your father's vast industry. For the most part you waste your time by charming girls with your friends. Cassandra Fray is a girl who lost her parents at the age of eight and forced her way through hunter ranks. She became a Sage by the time she was ten and passed the entrance exam when she was thirteen. She's been out in the field for two and a half year without once showing mercy. Now, when she probably fatally injured and crying her eyes out about something, why do you come to her rescue when you could've just as easily waited two more minutes for me and the rest of my team to arrive." By now Eren's voice had reached the point of yelling; he was two feet from the boy bearing down at him, forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Excuse me, sir," a stiff voice said from behind Eren. Eren spun and came face-to-face with a tall slender boy with pin-straight black hair and glasses. A look of distaste etched into his pale face and his dark eyes glowing with fury. "But we don't appreciate when strangers about at one of our own."

A look around the room explained to him that there were only seven students in male uniforms. Maybe this was some kind of club where the males entertain the females. Eren shrugged. No wonder Cass had taken the shapeshifter down so fast, she hated anyone who abused their sexuality for the fun of it.

Eren suppressed a laugh and quickly switched his sensor on. If there was anything that would support Eren's suspicious feeling f Tamaki Suoh, it soul be easy to confront him. There was a sharp buzzing sound, like that of a metal detector when it's found a treasure chest, completely disorientating everyone around him.

Eren ran towards a short boy with blond hair and jumped over him twisting mid-air so that his back was to the window when it shattered.


	3. Chapter 3

**still all rights reserved**

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Rachel was lounging on the couch when the twins burst in the apartment lugging a half-conscious Cass who was muttering deliriously. Rachel was on her feet in seconds, snatching the limp girl from the brothers and laying her gently down on the couch snapping orders at the boys who rushed about trying to fulfill them.

Rachel was the second in-command for the team, but was seen as a strict leader who didn't like anyone. Well...anyone except Cass. She had grown to admire the young Hunter's undying determination to bring those who defiled her to their knees. She reminded Rachel of herself, in so many ways. Strong, determined, and wouldn't let anything block her from her targets. Just like Rachel, Cass saw the world in black and white, but in different shades of each. Rachel saw only those who need to be killed and those who are going to be obliterated. While Cass saw those she protects, and the ones she protects them from.

When the twins were obviously busy in the kitchen, Rachel knelt next to the one person who deserved her concern. She dapped at her forehead with a cloth she had torn from her own shirt, soaking up sweat. She glared down at the wound that sliced into Cass's wrist barely missing the bone. The dried blood around it hand turned black, and the skin had turned a sickening green color. There was no doubt, vampiric poisoning.

Rachel sighed as she brought out her knife. This was going to be messy, but the only way to cure it meant finding an unscarred piece of skin. "Zay! Shay! Come here!" Her voice was cold and emotionless as she called the brothers back into the room.

They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, eyes adverted from her own violet shaded irises. "I need you to find Eren." The twins looked at each other. They were impossible to tell apart, and frankly Rachel didn't care. She wanted the supposed "leader" of their team. It was protocol to consult the team leader before performing a ceremony weather it was an emergency or not. And Rachel couldn't stray from protocol.

When the twins didn't respond, Rachel squinted her eyes impatience running through her veins. "Well?" She shouted at them.

"Eren is still at the school," one of them whispered quietly. Rachel threw her hands frustratedly into the air, she grabbed the one on the left by the hair and yanked him towards her. He cried out and his brother flinched, knowing the penalty for reacted would end badly for his twin.

"Then go get him! Call me with an answer!" The one left nodded feverishly before forcing himself out of the room, throwing books and crates out of his way to get there.


	4. Chapter 4

**. All rights reserved, enjoy. **

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Zay burst into the classroom he and his brother had found Eren last time. This time he wished he hadn't found it. All the girls had filed out of the room, leaving seven boys left. They were spread out around the room, idly chatting to each other. That is, before Zay stormed the fort. There was a moment of silence, before he was tackled and held to the ground by the ginger twins, both of them smirking sadistically.

Bleach blond bangs fell obnoxiously into his eyes as Zay swore under his breath. One of the twins sat on his back while the other took the spot very close to his side, holding his wrist tightly just above where his brother's butt was holding him down. "Out of all the situations I've been in," Zay started turning his head to see both gingers, "this has to be the most..pathetic." He was mostly eyeing the one holding him down with nothing but his body weight.

Reflexes kicking in, Zay arched his spine and jerked to the right. The motion threw the twin on top of him to the side and rolled over the one attempting to pin him down. He froze on his back and immediately threw his hands on either side of his head and did something of a backward worm, flinging his entire body into a handstand then flipping back onto his feet in a hard practiced Chinese get-up. Zay crouched his knees and prepared for a second attack.

Without so much as a twelve second delay, the tall serious looking male and the short supposedly innocent-defined one charged at him. Both looking equally pissed. Zay easily dodged the first handful of punches throw at him by the tall one, but had more trouble with the shorter one. Though he looked seemingly harmless, the kid was clearly more powerful than the intimidating one. Realizing that he had to finish the fight quickly if he wanted to achieve victory, Zay fell on one knee and swiped one leg counterclockwise, knocking the tall one off balance causing him to hit the floor with an obviously painful thud. The shorter one managed to avoid Zay's attack, coming into his line of vision just barely if he looked in the far corner of his eye. As the shorter one began to advance, Zay's hand quickly slipped into his inner jacket pocket and distributed a gun directed in the fatal point of the boy's skull.

"That's cheating," the boy commented obviously pouting. Though his vocal actions said that he was ignoring the colt, but his physical ones gave him away. The boy's petite frame completely froze up and his hands were shaking slightly. The entire room seemed to react to the visible introduction of the old-fashioned handgun that had the ability to kill all of them in the wrong hands. And for all they knew, Zay's hands were the wrong hands.

"Yeah, I just don't have the time nor the care to finish this the way you want me to." Zay shoved his left hand into his jacket, drawing a second gun and pointing it at the blond boy who he recognized as the man who had helped Cass earlier that day. "You!" He shouted and the boy winced at the sudden edge in his voice, "Name!" No answer. But the sound of a gun being cocked is great motivation for answering questions.

"Tamaki Souh!" He snapped back at Zay. Surprised at how calm all the students could be in the presence of a potential psychopath. That's when he heard it. The unmistakeable sound of a phone-line buzzing. The gunshot was louder, though. Drowning out all sense of resistance as the bullet shot straight through the cellphone and entered the black-haired boy's hand. He cried in pain and fell to his knees. Someone called his name, another screamed, as a third a asked Zay if he was completely insane.

"I will kill all of you." Hatred burned clear in eyes, flaring his voice and shattering all serenity that had kept him same throughout the years. Something he'd never experienced before was begging for him to finish the job. Some part of him wanted him to kill every other person in this room, and he was listening to it. Zay's once sharp bluish gray eyes had turned a vengeful red, the color of power, hate, and evil. He was going to kill the small boy and Tamaki Suoh without mercy or remorse. They were going to feel the pain he had suffered through ever since he had become a hunter.

"Zayden Ridge!"

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**okay, if you wanna make this story less-confusing listen up! The characters from the original anime & manga and everything will be explained in the chapter after this one. So right after this you need to start PAYING ATTENTION. If you are one of those people who simply skip over these notifications thinking that this is just some weird dedication of obsession to the theme of the story, sucks for you**

**~Manta**


	5. Chapter 5

**all rights reserved; enjoy**

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Cass stood in the doorway, her demeanor calm and collected but the expression etched into her face said otherwise. She looked mad, but after many years of self-taught control she managed not to slap her teammate.

Adjusting her grip on Shay, who hung limply off her shoulder, she glared furiously into his brother's eyes. Zay immediately shoved the gun back in his pocket, completely aware of the trouble he was in.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" She asked him pronouncing every syllable. "You know the code." The hunter code that each and every hunter had to live by. It was the cry essence of life to them, and if even one of its laws are broken the consequences are assured to be disastrous. And Zay was on the verge of shattering one of the clearest rules.

Dragging Shay forward with her, Cass moved toward Zay. "Thou shall not raise a hand to those what have not committed any crime." She saw him flinch at the words but retained eye contact which was fairly impressive. Not many hunters can look a reciter in the eye.

She stood next to him and whispered a few words unaudited to the students. Even if the had heard her, they wouldn't have understood her. She spoke in a language unknown to the mortal world, on that only the children blessed by the angel could interpret. Zay shuddered at her words as she flung his twin into his arms.

"Cass?" Shay muttered, catching her attention. The entire run here the boy had been unconscious. His appearance made it obvious that he was in no shape to jog along side her, yet here he was speaking.

She stood at his side, brushing his grimy hair to the left. "Shush, you should rest." She commanded. Though the twins were clearly older than her, Cass held more authority as well as maturity. Rachel had been excessively drunk when she had woke up, and being her favorite things to vent on, the twins were targeted. Cass had found the younger twin tied to a water heater with visible bruises and cuts gushing blood.

Shay painfully knocked aside her fingers, "Do you since it?" Right when he pointed it out, she did. The familiar sense hard wired into all hunter brains. The sixth sense that alerted them to each other.

The air went cold and tasted stale as the tingling sensation filled her fingers. "Interesting," Cass commented as she scanned the room. She felt not just three hunters, but four. Maneuvering around the room, she moved close to the students.

Starting with the ginger twins pretzeled up in the far right of the room. She got five inches away before shaking her head and moving to the tall serious-looking one. Cass stopped short, changing directions mid-step. She didn't need to scan the short boy who had almost been shot at point blank wasn't it. It was more than obvious that he wasn't hunter material. She half-ran over to the two boys who stood by the broken window.

Both were taller than her, but that seemed to be the only thing the had in common. The one to her left had professionally cut dark hair that covered his ears and clashed handsomely with ghostly white skin. Cold dark eyes stared down at her from behind circular glasses with no frames. She shrugged disappointedly and moved away. This man did not possess hunter blood.

The one on her right was, if possible, his complete opposite. As the other had seemed dark, calculating, and cold-perfect hunter material- this one gave off a light, carefree aura that could never be placed with hunter kind. He had golden locks of blond hair that was layered into bright enthusiastic eyes. There was a slight side band on his left that looked windswept from being tossed out of his face too many times. He seemed...almost angelic.

Normally she would've walked right past a guy like this without a second thought, but normally guys like these weren't blessed by the angel. Surprised at her own discovery, Cass tripped over her high-heeled boots. She threw her arms out in front of her face to break her fall, but the angelic boy caught her. Looking into his deep purple eyes that could easily be compared to amethysts, she saw it. The raw coals that had built up over the years, the same fire burned inside her. Except hers was ignited. His was barely a spark.

"That's so sad." Cass whispered regaining her balance, but the boy didn't let go of her. Looking over her shoulder at her teammates, "he's flames out."

Shay had slipped back into the realm of the subconscious, but Zay- fully awake- knew exactly what she meant. "Should we take him with us?"Cass looked back into his eyes. Back into that fire that didn't burn. Hesitation stopped her from answering. This boy had a life here. He had a future. Who was she to pull him away from it? "You know what happens if we don't ignite that flame, Cass."

"What happens?" His voice was calm but the way he said it made the panic laced in almost visible.

"The under-used power will become radical causing the host to explode. Killing not only it, but irradiating everything within a radius of five miles." Eren, Cass almost fainted with relief. He always knew what to do, making her indecisiveness ill-relevant to the mission. He strolled into the room completely ignoring the looks of distaste directed his way by the students. He moved next to Cass, glaring at the newly discovered hunter. "Get your hands off my second in command." He growled and the blond obliged almost immediately.

"In other words," Zay summarized, "you want to come with us before that nuclear bomb inside you goes off."

"When will that happen?" Asked the boy with glasses. Zay glared at him.

"I don't remember inviting you into this conversation," before he finished Cass had started answered in the question.

"Who know? Couple years, or a couple minutes. For all we know it couple happen any second now." The students shared looks. "The best option you have," Cass directed at the blond, "is to come with us."

There was a moment of silence. The only sound being the rain pounding on the glass and marble floor of the room. All the students did was look at each other. Mainly the blond with the short brunette boy with wide brown eyes.

The silence was interrupted by the cocking of a gun. "If you don't come willingly, we will force you." Zay threw into the equation.

"What about those laws that prevented you from shooting Honey-senpai?" The brunette interjected quickly.

"Haruhi! Stay out of this."

"Law two hundred forty: defying the will of the order is a direct violation." Zay sneered sadistically. "Plus I think killing millions of innocences when you go boom doesn't exactly put you in a position to want to get on the wrong side of the order."

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**okay, so some things were explained something's are going to be referenced to the MortalInstruments series**

**~Manta**


	6. Chapter 6

**all rights reserved; enjoy**

* * *

Cass stood in the doorway, her demeanor calm and collected but the expression etched into her face said otherwise. She looked mad, but after many years of self-taught control she managed not to slap her teammate.

Adjusting her grip on Shay, who hung limply off her shoulder, she glared furiously into his brother's eyes. Zay immediately shoved the gun back in his pocket, completely aware of the trouble he was in.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" She asked him pronouncing every syllable. "You know the code." The hunter code that each and every hunter had to live by. It was the cry essence of life to them, and if even one of its laws are broken the consequences are assured to be disastrous. And Zay was on the verge of shattering one of the clearest rules.

Dragging Shay forward with her, Cass moved toward Zay. "Thou shall not raise a hand to those what have not committed any crime." She saw him flinch at the words but retained eye contact which was fairly impressive. Not many hunters can look a reciter in the eye.

She stood next to him and whispered a few words unaudited to the students. Even if the had heard her, they wouldn't have understood her. She spoke in a language unknown to the mortal world, on that only the children blessed by the angel could interpret. Zay shuddered at her words as she flung his twin into his arms.

"Cass?" Shay muttered, catching her attention. The entire run here the boy had been unconscious. His appearance made it obvious that he was in no shape to jog along side her, yet here he was speaking.

She stood at his side, brushing his grimy hair to the left. "Shush, you should rest." She commanded. Though the twins were clearly older than her, Cass held more authority as well as maturity. Rachel had been excessively drunk when she had woke up, and being her favorite things to vent on, the twins were targeted. Cass had found the younger twin tied to a water heater with visible bruises and cuts gushing blood.

Shay painfully knocked aside her fingers, "Do you since it?" Right when he pointed it out, she did. The familiar sense hard wired into all hunter brains. The sixth sense that alerted them to each other.

The air went cold and tasted stale as the tingling sensation filled her fingers. "Interesting," Cass commented as she scanned the room. She felt not just three hunters, but four. Maneuvering around the room, she moved close to the students.

Starting with the ginger twins pretzeled up in the far right of the room. She got five inches away before shaking her head and moving to the tall serious-looking one. Cass stopped short, changing directions mid-step. She didn't need to scan the short boy who had almost been shot at point blank wasn't it. It was more than obvious that he wasn't hunter material. She half-ran over to the two boys who stood by the broken window.

Both were taller than her, but that seemed to be the only thing the had in common. The one to her left had professionally cut dark hair that covered his ears and clashed handsomely with ghostly white skin. Cold dark eyes stared down at her from behind circular glasses with no frames. She shrugged disappointedly and moved away. This man did not possess hunter blood.

The one on her right was, if possible, his complete opposite. As the other had seemed dark, calculating, and cold-perfect hunter material- this one gave off a light, carefree aura that could never be placed with hunter kind. He had golden locks of blond hair that was layered into bright enthusiastic eyes. There was a slight side band on his left that looked windswept from being tossed out of his face too many times. He seemed...almost angelic.

Normally she would've walked right past a guy like this without a second thought, but normally guys like these weren't blessed by the angel. Surprised at her own discovery, Cass tripped over her high-heeled boots. She threw her arms out in front of her face to break her fall, but the angelic boy caught her. Looking into his deep purple eyes that could easily be compared to amethysts, she saw it. The raw coals that had built up over the years, the same fire burned inside her. Except hers was ignited. His was barely a spark.

"That's so sad." Cass whispered regaining her balance, but the boy didn't let go of her. Looking over her shoulder at her teammates, "he's flames out."

Shay had slipped back into the realm of the subconscious, but Zay- fully awake- knew exactly what she meant. "Should we take him with us?"Cass looked back into his eyes. Back into that fire that didn't burn. Hesitation stopped her from answering. This boy had a life here. He had a future. Who was she to pull him away from it? "You know what happens if we don't ignite that flame, Cass."

"What happens?" His voice was calm but the way he said it made the panic laced in almost visible.

"The under-used power will become radical causing the host to explode. Killing not only it, but irradiating everything within a radius of five miles." Eren, Cass almost fainted with relief. He always knew what to do, making her indecisiveness ill-relevant to the mission. He strolled into the room completely ignoring the looks of distaste directed his way by the students. He moved next to Cass, glaring at the newly discovered hunter. "Get your hands off my second in command." He growled and the blond obliged almost immediately.

"In other words," Zay summarized, "you want to come with us before that nuclear bomb inside you goes off."

"When will that happen?" Asked the boy with glasses. Zay glared at him.

"I don't remember inviting you into this conversation," before he finished Cass had started answered in the question.

"Who know? Couple years, or a couple minutes. For all we know it couple happen any second now." The students shared looks. "The best option you have," Cass directed at the blond, "is to come with us."

There was a moment of silence. The only sound being the rain pounding on the glass and marble floor of the room. All the students did was look at each other. Mainly the blond with the short brunette boy with wide brown eyes.

The silence was interrupted by the cocking of a gun. "If you don't come willingly, we will force you." Zay threw into the equation.

"What about those laws that prevented you from shooting Honey-senpai?" The brunette interjected quickly.

"Haruhi! Stay out of this."

"Law two hundred forty: defying the will of the order is a direct violation." Zay sneered sadistically. "Plus I think killing millions of innocences when you go boom doesn't exactly put you in a position to want to get on the wrong side of the order."

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**okay, so some things were explained something's are going to be referenced to the MortalInstruments series**

**~Manta**


	7. Chapter 7

**think of Eren as a younger version of Dean Winchester. **

**all all rights reserved **

* * *

The ride to the institute was a long one. No one spoke to each other. No one made a sound. Eren sat behind the wheel, thankful for the silence. He'd had a relatively long day and was read for it to end. The boy-Tamaki- had made the decision to come willingly. And as the others slept soundly, he sat up straight and still. Obviously uncomfortable with his situation.

"So tell me," he started and Eren had to hold back a groan. He was enjoying the silence, "how did you know so much about me?"

"Sometimes I pay attention during the briefings."

"Oh." Either he was so eager to start a conversation, or he flat out wanted answers, because he continued to ask questions. "So...why was that guy so excited to shot me and my friends?"

Eren laughed, taking Tamaki by surprise. "Zay? Zayden Ridge?" He swallowed silencing his laughter, "Since your one of us there's no point in hiding anything, right?" He didn't move, but Eren saw him tilt his head forward in something of a nod. Eren exhaled deeply getting into a more serious mood. "Zay likes it, killing. He enjoys the thrill of the hunt so much that he will go to great lengths to finish a job. This makes him both an asset and a liability, if you want me to go into statistics In afraid is have to kill you. Anyways, the reasons behind his intense killing instinct is still unknown. In a couple months I'll probably get a promotion and finally find out the truth behind his motives, but now," Eren stopped to breathe. "Now the story's a mix of rumors and gossip. One story says he just flat-out likes it. Another says that someone scarred him for life causing him to be temporarily insane when stressed. The last and most complex is where Zay was forced to join a secret organization slash mob gang where his brother," Eren pointed over his shoulder toward the backseat where he knew the twins sat. "Shay, was being held captive to push him over the edge. To me, this one seems the most realistic. Because," pausing to gazing up into the rearview mirror where he watched the twins lean over each other breathing lightly, "nothing motivates more than brotherly love."

"I know what you mean," Tamaki exhaled. Eren smiled, turning his attention back on the road. "So what about you?"

"Want about me?" Eren laughed unconsciously shifting his weight.

"How did you become a hunter?"

Easy question, simple answer. "Born and raised." Eren had hunter parents, a hunter brother, and hunter grandparents. "Most of us are. Which is one of the reasons were depleting." Catching the confused look on his face Eren sighed. "Look, I'm a thirteen generation hunter. Me and Cass, we're the rarest they come."

"The redhead?" Forgetting Tamaki had never met the girl in person. Stealing a glance at Cass passed out in the passenger's seat.

"How about some music?" Eren asked sliding a tape into the stereo of the black 1967 Chevy Impala. After a second some rock music came over the speakers.


	8. Chapter 8

**fair warning: in this chapter the point-of-views are a little gumbled together. **

**Picture the "Institute" like the one from Mortal Instruments**

**all rights reserved; enjoy: **

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"Home, sweet home!" Zay announced carrying his twin piggy back-style underneath the huge golden arch that marked the entrance to the Institute. The building resembled a large castle-like church complete with marble steeples reaching towards the heavens and windows that gazed out upon the city. But it didn't look like this to Tamaki. Glancing over at the newly discovered hunter, Zay saw how confused his expression was.

"You all live in an old church?" Everyone froze, eyeing each other before laughing.

"Oh that's precious!" Zay shouted dragging Shay inside the Institute, Eren following in their wake, remarking that he still had a lot to learn. Cass rolled her eyes at the twins' antics. She stood next to Tamaki, standing on her tip toes to direct his attention back to the church.

"Look closer," she told him softly before falling back on her heels. She saw his purple irises widen. Cass smiled, realizing that he had seen it for what it really was. "Isn't it beautiful?" She asked.

"Almost as beautiful as you, princess." He commented stretching his arms out to wrap them around her. Cass reacted and punched him hard in the shoulder. He complained loudly holding the spot where her fist collided with his arm.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed before running into the church. Eren smiled from the doorway watching the confusion set into his new friend's face.

"Never been rejected before?" He asked amused by his reaction to Cass dismissing him.

"First time." He responded still in shock. Eren's grin deepened as he reached the blond and began guiding him into the Institute.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. Cass has that reaction when anyone touches her." Eren reassured as the two entered a large room that had the same function as a lobby in a hotel. They didn't stay very long, Eren continued to steer him into another room off the the left where a kitchen was set up. The twins were fighting each other at a circular wooden table.

Shay, trying to outrun his brother, had backed himself up against the wall. While Zay leered over him clutching his Steele, which glowed purple as he neared his twin. "C'mon Shay! You'll heal faster!" Zay stated pouncing on his brother who shied away from his twin's touch.

"But it always stings!" Protested the youngest member of Eren's team.

"Only for a second! Now look to the left, the only spot open is your neck." Zay shoved Shay's head to the right and began drawing on the boy's neck. There was no screaming, but there was the lingering smell of burning flesh.

Eren directed Tamaki into one of the chairs before sliding into the one across the table from him. Glancing over his shoulder, Erem shuddered as he saw smoke rising from Shay's neck as the cuts and bruises healed. "Their called runes," Eren explained before Tamaki could ask another damned question. He pulled up the sleeve of his dark gray t-shirt.

"They're magical symbols that give us superpowers," Zay said with little interest towards the conversation. Eren rolled his eyes but when he made eye contact with Tamaki, he had to hold back laughter. The expression on his face told Eren that he believed Zay's explanation.

"Actually, he's not too far off." Glancing up the boys got a view of Rachel. She stood with her short cut black hair that matched her short black dress.

There was a chorus of "heys" from the boys as she slid down into the last chair shoved up underneath the table. "Whose this?" She asked eyeing Tamaki as if he were an expense toy she wanted.

"What would you say if I told you he's my cousin?" Zay asked. "And nice dress by the way." He added.

"I'd say that I know know where all the good looks in the family went to," she responded, sexily eyeing the newcomer. "And thank you."

"That's a bit offensive," Shay croaked from behind Rachel. "I'm here too, ya know."

While the conversation continued, Cass listened. She sat in a small gap between walls that only she could slip into. Ever since she was little she was always slipping into dark places, trying to escape those who broke her. She had forced herself to remain calm. Cass knew that no one in the Shadow Order dared show a weak side.

Weak meant you were sympathetic, sympathy means you show mercy to enemies, and showing mercy leaves you wide open for attack. Cass didn't want to be attacked. Not again. She didn't want to face the pain of loosing. Which is why she was so determined to find the one that killed her inside. The very demon that she has wanted to kill since before she was born.

If destiny existed, it'd a perfect way to explain her situation. Tilting her head back she heard the new-comer, Tamaki, ask about her.

His voice sounded concerned for her...something she had once before sensed laced with disappointment. But his concern was traced with worry. He was worried about her. If he was caring about her, it was a sign of weakness and she couldn't have that. She wouldn't let an innocent suffer for her actions. Never again.

He asked about why she had run from him. The way he said it sent chills down her spine. She was scared. Unsure of the future and what suffers it might put both of them through. She was terrified that someone would even remotely care for her well-being. It had never happened before, and to hear a total stranger this concerned for her scared her.

"Cass? I'm not sure I should be telling you about her personal life." Eren started and Cass let out a sigh of relief. She didn't want him to know the disappointment and horror she'd been through. "In fact I've revealed too much about her to you back at the school." He added and Cass froze. What did her team leader tell him? She started shaking. She didn't want anymore disappointment toward her. She didn't want to make anymore people pity her. The last thing she wanted was to make another person see her in a completely different light.

No, she though shaking the doubt away from her holding her hands to her head. She was the legendary Cassandra Frey. She was the strong powerful Sage that could recite the code by memory. She could do things that would make humans gape in awe. She was independent and never showed mercy to her prey.

"If you want to know anything about her, you should ask her yourself." Zay said seriously as the sound of a chair taking the floor sounded throughout the room. "Right now I'm exhausted, let's go Shay." Cass grinned at the sound of the brothers' unrequited love for one another came into play. They had something Cass never had: love.

"Yeah, let's go, handsome." Rachel said clearly yanking Tamaki to his feet, "I'll show you your room." There was a pause as footsteps replaced conversation. "And mine, just in case."

There was a noise which Cass guessed was Tamaki grabbing the threshold of the door. "Coming, Eren?" He asked politely. She could only guess the two had become friends on the was to the Institute.

"Yeah, I'll be right up. I just gotta take care of something." He answered distractedly. Cass could practically see the blond nodding before being dragged out of the room by the horny brunette.

Once she could no longer hear them, Eren spoke. "You can come out now." Cass obliged scooting skillfully out of the narrow passage and into the kitchen. She didn't say anything or move at all. Cass was tired. It had been a long day and she was ready for some well-deserved rest. Plus being alone would give her some time to think of the events that had occurred that day. "If you've got something you need to say, go on and say it," urged Eren not looking up at her.

Cass swallowed. "I-I just can't believe I didn't sense him before." She explained sliding down into the chair facing her team leader.

"Actually, I think you did." He told her stealing a glance up at her. The way he spoke to her, sometimes it was hard to guess he was only two years older than her. "Today, you grabbed him, and clung to him so tightly I had to knock you out to get you off him." Cass looked down at her hands. If Eren was right, which he usually was, she had sensed him even though she didn't know it.

Remembering the feeling of hopelessness that she had felt before grabbing onto him, she sunk into a temporary depression. Even If she'd felt his fire before the havoc reeked today got too chaotic, there still was the fact that she would've walked away, pathetically ignoring him. She had written him off as another stubbornly involved human, instead of the born hunter he is.

Without a word she pushed herself away from the table and practically ran towards the exit. "Good night," Eren muttered still at the table obviously recounting the strange events that had occurred that day.

"Night." She whispered back before sprinting up the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

That morning, they had waffles for breakfast. Shay never got the point of waffles. They were just oversized pancakes with large hollow holes that didn't even go all the way through. Then there was the fact that Rachel made them. Despite her young age of nineteen, she was a terrible cook and a mean drunk. Shay would never understand why Rachel would drunk herself in liquor only to turn out meaner than the normal healer of the team. Shay didn't like to think much about, despite being one of her favorite ways of venting emotional stress.

He sat next to his brother, awkwardly picking at the sad excuse for a meal. Half of the waffle was burnt while the other half looked under-cooked. How was this possible? Rachel's impressive ways to screw with a meal vary each day. The newcomer hadn't woken up yet, whereas the entire team was awake and busy bustling around the kitchen.

They were all used to the early schedule of the Academy, where the each day every student had risen before the sun did. And a simple glance around the room would tell Shay exactly what each of his teammates were up to.

Cass sat quietly across from the twins, picking unappetizingly at the nasty-colored oatmeal in front of her. Undoubtably having something else on her mind.

Behind the twins, Eren was having a heated argument with Rachel trying to get out of eating her cooking. The two were always butting heads, trying to get on the wrong side of one another. Though on mission, their attitudes completely changed and Rachel actually respected Eren's lead. It was easily explained in one word: bipolar.

Next to Shay, his brother was biting roughly into toast that he had managed to slip under Rachel radar to avoid eating her disgusting food, occasionally throwing words of encouragement towards Eren. The two had been trying to get Rachel out of the kitchen for as long as Shay could remember, every attempt failing to remove her from her "beloved" scullery. All things considered, it was amusing to watch them go down in flames.

Finally he took a bite of the waffle, and immediately regretted it. was indescribably disgusting and was back on the plate within seconds. But the aftertaste lingered. He felt like throwing up, but one thing you never do in front if Rachel is openly insult her cooking. Even Zay and Eren were careful about saying something to upset her while stating their case.

Shay swallowed, hard, washing away all taste of the horrible tasting waffle as he shoved it aside. He practically drowned himself in water trying to disband the terrible taste of Rachel's latest screw up job. Silently swearing he would never eat Rachel's cooking again, Shay turned his attention on Cass who had uncharacteristically said a word since she had woken up.

Normally, she would've made Eren and Rachel silence their fighting or at least make Shay something to substitute Rachel's cuisine. Unlike the healer, Cass could cook fairly well. But today, something was off.

"Cass?" He asked causing her to look up expectantly, "Are you okay?" All conversation ceased as they all turned worriedly at their second in command and undoubtably best fighter.

"Oh." her voice was croaky and hoarse as if she'd been crying, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just..." She paused searching for an excuse, "still waking up." Dismissing her easily, the rest of the team brushed her off as they resumed their previous endeavors. But Shay was still worried about his friend. He saw right through her lie. There was something bugging Cass, and Shay was there to help her.

After breakfast Shay confronted her about it. When he stated that he knew something was wrong, she completely broke down. She fell on her knees, silent tears streaming down her face. Shay quickly knelt beside her, knowing that Cass normally needs something earthly to hold onto when she's sad, something to remind her that she's still human. Usually she kept herself in check but ever since yesterday, she's been completely falling apart.

"Shush," he whispered to the youngest member of the team, "it's alright." It felt strange to be comforting Cass. She was usually a strong spirit who constantly showed that she could take care of herself. It just wasn't right to see her like this.

"Shay?" She called his name burying her head in his faded blue shirt. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this." She pulled her head away, wiping her nose on her baggy gray sweatshirt.

"Its ok-."

"No it's not!" She protested getting a grip on herself. "I'm supposed to be strong. I'm supposed to protect you and the others. I'm not supposed to be," she gestured at herself, "this!"

Sighing, Shay grabbed her shoulders forcing her to look him in the eye. "What ever you think you're supposed to be, you need to understand that we will always have your back. We're a family, Cass. And families need to stick together no matter what." He hugged her. Bringing her in close. For a moment she went into shock, still comprehending what he had said. When her brain registered every syllable she flung her arms around his neck grateful someone had finally made that fact clear to her.

Afraid that he'd only made matters worse, Shay asked her what was wrong. She looked up at him smiling. Brushing tears out of her eyes she answered, "I've just never thought anyone cared."

The girl with the long blond curls who had met Eren the previous day, watched the scene from the window. She had no idea what she was, or why no one would help her. But she knew the hunters would figure it out for her. She had been warned by the guardian of the church that her kind was not welcome inside, but she had to take her chances.

She needed help, and if the hunters only destroy, wouldn't that make them the evil ones? If they don't help her and only reduce her to ashes, wouldn't they be considered the bad guys? She had been told by the guardian that if she were to trespass on to the sacred grounds she would not be granted mercy. She didn't have time for the spirit's threats, however. She somehow knew that her very flame would be extinguished if not granted help soon.

Long gray wings extended from her back as she jumped off her perch by the window causing her to glide gracefully down to the front gate of the Institute. The girl felt fear coarse through her veins, but she continued forward ignoring it. She knew that there would be the few who doubted her survival, and they were probably right. After all, she wasn't supposed to exist.

She froze in front if large oak doors the truth of 'now or never' pounded through her head as she contemplated knocking or running. Seizing the moment, the girl curled her hand into a fist and pounded three times on the brisk old wood.


	10. Chapter 10

**Pre-author's note: try to review. I like to know what you think of my work. **

**all rights reserved; enjoy**

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Zay answered the door expecting the usual eccentric mundane teenagers or treat-or-treaters. He carried a bowl of year-old candy that he gave out to them which normally caused the to go away; the treat-or-treaters too. When he saw the beautiful angel-girl standing in the doorway. A strange mixture confidence and fear ebbed from her as she refused to make eye contact. The girl appeared to be the same age as Cass, but Zay had learned over the years that appearances could be deceiving.

"Please say your here to see me," he begged though he knew it was an impossible wish. The girl looked up at him, bright blue eyes melted and she turned to run. Zay grasped her wrist before she could get too far, and yanked her back. "Hold up, gorgeous." He told her. "You can't just run like that." She didn't move she just took in the fact that this boy had touched her. This was the first time she had been touched since she fell. It felt weird. A joyous feeling raced through her as she looked up into Zay's kind stormy eyes. "What's your name?" He asked with a smile.

"I don't have one," she replied embarrassedly. Everyone on this earth had one, yet here she was claiming to a stranger that she was unknown; even to herself.

"Well, that's alright." Zay told her and stepped out of the church. "Have no fear! I can fix it!" He exclaimed dorkily in his best impression of Fix-It-Felix Jr. "I'll shout out a list if names, you tell me if you like them or not." The girl nodded excitedly at his suggestion.

"Alright, let's start out easy." Zay tilted his head back and folded his arms behind his head, "Skyler?" The girl shook her head. "Maple?" No. "Phoenix?" Nada. "Senthia?" None of the above. "Ivory?" No change in answer.

This went on for about two hours before Zay collapsed in the shade of a tall oak tree. "Ugh, how about you tell me about yourself?" The girl tilted her head causing her long blond curls to fall to the side and cover half her face. "That way I will know a little more about what I'm dealing with."

"I'm not supposed to exist." The girl explained as Zay rolled his eyes. He'd the same question before and always received the same answer.

"Well that's useful," he told her sarcastically.

The two lay on a grassy hill that overlooked a graveyard. Every member of the team knew about the graveyard as well as the girl buried six feet under in the single grave that made up the yard. Normally hunters are burned and their ashes are used to build the structures of the next generation. But the girl in the graveyard was far from a hunter. She was a mortal with no home or family. They took her in, and treated her as one of their own. Now she was dead and the team grieved her passing each and every day.

"Faith," he whispered remembering the young girl. Zay had been the one to name her back when she was just a baby left if the stoop of the porch.

"I like that one," the girl said casually still thinking the were playing a game. "Can you say it again for me?"

Zay looked over at her. She did look a little like the girl in the grave. The one who deserved eternal rest. She didn't have her personality though. The old Faith was tough and playful. This girl was sensitive and submissive. Though, if that's what she wanted to be called...

"Faith." He told her again and she glowed with delight. Zay liked seeing her happy. Sadness just didn't suit her.

As she played with the small petals of a daisy, Faith watched the boy laying serenely in the tall grass. He was undoubtably handsome, that's for sure. But just like the older boy, he seemed to be a complete mystery. His blond-almost white- hair fell in a sideways wave over his forehead just barely covering light gray eyes that have obviously seen too much combat. Still, he was playful and loving. She still noticed the way he walked. The way he spoke. The way he was completely aware of everything around him. He was afraid of something.

Somewhere deep inside her, Faith felt jealous. His fear was something real. Something he could hold on to and beat with physical force. Her fear was untouchable. There was no way any brute strength could defeat it. "What is your name?" Faith asked trying to mimic his soothing tone when he had first spoke to her.

"Zayden Macoy Ridge." He answered formally. A sigh followed his words as he added, "but everyone calls me Zay."

"Pleasure to met you, Zayden." Faith said attempting to copy the way she'd seen others greet each other. Zay smiled. This girl was definitely different, and he liked it.

"How about we go inside? I'm starved." Zay asked as he sat up massaging his shoulder with one hand while offering Faith the other. She reached up but hesitated in grabbing it. "What's wrong?"

"The guardian told me my kind wasn't welcome in." Zay smiled and took Faith's hand.

"Believe me, they're all talk." The "guardians" were just some faeries that had taken up lodging at the Institute. They started pulling that 'trespassers will be vaporized' prank after the eavesdropped on the twins debating on weather painting the fence purple like the do at the border to signify they weren't kind to unwanted visitors. What Faith really had to worry about was a temperamental Rachel. And if Faith didn't pass test, she'd be the one reinforcing the faeries threats.

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**_happy independence day. _**

**_~Manta_**


	11. Chapter 11

**all rights reserved; enjoy:**

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Cass was eating lunch with the new-comer when it happened. Rachel's famous unearthly wrath that could easily be compared to a nuclear explosion. If a mundane felt a sudden chill out of nowhere for no apparent reason, they were standing within the five mile radius of Rachel's blast.

She was going off about something Zay had done- again. Cass was beginning he lived for trouble. After years if learning how, she ignored them biting hungrily into her sandwich.

"What's going on?" The blond yelled over the noise as she set his plate in front of him. She swallowed and took another bite of her ham and cheese.

"Let's just say Hurricane Rachel is now in session," she took a third large bite of her lunch, "prepare for some unpleasant winds."

Since she had forced him up at eight that morning, she'd been training him. Teaching him what she'd known for years. And over the four hours of sweat and a bit of blood-on the newbie's part- they had bonded. Enough for her to start calling him ironically accurate nicknames. Her favorite so far was Floppy based off his poor performance on the pull-up bar.

"Does she do this often?" He asked. During the four hours, Cass had gotten him to break his habit of sweet talking her, letting him know the punishments for distraction would be more severe than the training itself. Cass laughed at his amateurish question. Though he'd only been at the Institute an even twelve hours, he was still an outsider and she had to explain almost every little thing to him. Honestly, she found it almost cute.

"She had an unstable temper." Cass explained finishing off her sandwich in one last bite. Unable to block the out any longer, Cass allowed her curiosity to get the better of her and she allowed herself to listen to the angry conversation turn argument between Zay and Rachel.

"I just can't believe you named her after her!" Rachel yelled catching Cass's attention causing her to continue listening.

"I don't see the harm in it!" Zay shouted back. Cass refused to look over her shoulder, but her sixth sense told her there was a third person standing behind Zay. And she could tell it was anything but human.

"That's because you weren't there!" Rachel snapped back at him. "You didn't she her-," she inhaled deeply silencing any tears that were almost overflowing inside her toxic green eyes. There was only one thing that could make Rachel cry, and Cass didn't want to be the one to tell Zay that. She adverted her eyes, remembering the young girl from what seemed to be an eternity ago.

"Who are they talking about?" Tamaki asked innocently. She glanced over at him. He had only eaten half of his sandwich, curiously propping is head up with his elbow eyeing Cass like a puppy begging for bacon.

She inhaled tightly, not wanting to explain the past. "I guess Eren'll tell you if I don't," she contemplated out loud as Zay and Rachel continued their argument. She breathed dramatically, knowing the cause if telling the blond why Rachel was so worked up would have an end result of Cass breaking down in tears. She gulped and began Faith Hope's story.

"A couple years ago, we received something we weren't expecting." Remembering the night vividly Cass spoke every detail to her student.

The air was humid and heavy. Overcast clouds swiftly passed overhead, threatening rain. Eren had been sick with the flu at the time and had forbidden any of his subordinates from going on any mission without him. So the entire team was kept inside for days, fighting off cabin fever. Cass had been bored out of her mind, she had sunk to the twins' level where breaking stuff was considered fun.

She had started to think nothing exciting would happen until Eren got better. Then the doorbell rang. It was a surprising sound. None of the Institute residents didn't think it even had a doorbell. So when that one sound rang out through the church-like building, every dropped everything they were doing. For the longest time none of them moved, they didn't know what to do. The only people allowed inside the Institute were hunters, and all of them knew its door was always unlocked.

They usually didn't have a problem with Mundanes, people without any connection to the supernatural world, the enchantments placed around the grounds of the Institute made all of them think it was an abandon complex that was partially falling apart. Sure, the occasional stupid mundie tried their luck in spending the night, but they never seemed to last. Cass could only guess that's how the rumors started about the place being haunted when ironically, it was one of the few places in the world that isn't infested by ghosts.

When Cass finally got up the courage to answer the door, she found something even more surprising. There wasn't a demon leering over her, but a small baby girl wrapped in an assortment of clothes crying on the doorstep. There was no identification on the child that claimed ownership over her. Only a small bronze star strung around her small neck.

When Cass brought her inside, and the first ones to swarm her were the twins. Zay was the next to hold the little baby he laid down on the floor holding her above him with his brother next to him. As they played Cass had gone to get Grey Truemark, the sixth member of the team, who had been between missions at the time and had taken up residence at the Institute. He was down within moments, practically on her heels all the way down the stairs.

When they arrived Zay had moved her into the library and was laying on his side, suggesting ridiculous names as Shay allowed the baby to fall asleep curled up on his chest. Grey was at first against letting her stay, but after the trio had left the two alone together he became attached to the small being. Allowing Zay the right to name her, as he had spent the last few hours debating on what to call her.

Being Zay, he announced the child's name dramatically. Stepping up on the coffee table flaring his arms out and half-screamed what would become the baby's name. Faith Fairchild became part of the family and over the years the team watched her grow. They educated her and trained her. Somehow managing to turn a plain mundane child into a hunter worthy of the title: the She-devil.

Since the Institute served as a rest spot for all hunters, when they stop between missions they'd spar against her. Cass confessed she'd never seen Faith loose a fight. Though she was skilled and tough, Grey would never allow her to go on a mission, no matter how easy the others made it out to be. But Grey was a soloist and was hardly ever around long enough to enforce his authority over her.

Eventually, Faith began brushing off Grey's warnings and started begging the team to let her tag-along on a mission. For the longest time, the team denied her pleas, knowing that Rachel's anger was nothing compared to Grey's.

Then, finally, when Faith had turned seven years old, she begged Cass to let her come. Cass hadn't been that much older than her and easily gave in to her begging, but knowing Eren would never approve it; let Faith stow-away in the back of the car.

Cass wiped away tears as the tragic part of the story rolled around. She stood and backed away from the table, practically crying into her arm. "I'm sorry!" She cried backing into the wall. "I-I just-," she sniffled trying to speak, breathe, and cry all at once.

Tamaki knelt next to her, just like yesterday when she had broken down in the club room. This time he forced her into a hug and allowed her to cry into his shoulder. For the first time that day she realized he had changed out of his school uniform and into hunter leather. She was grateful as she tightened her hold around it thinking back to how disastrous the mission had been, and how badly she had screwed up.


	12. Chapter 12

**All rights reserved; enjoy**

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Eren had been sitting across the table from the two throughout Cass's entire story. He head slipped into his hands as the memories flashed across his mind. Eren knew that Cass blamed herself for Faith's fate, but in truth he felt the one at fault.

When she couldn't bare to finish the story, she ran. Eren knew where to, and didn't stop her. He grabbed Tamaki's wrist as he stood to go after her, forcing him back into his seat. "Don't," he advised still staring into his palm, "she needs to be alone right now." Silence filled the room with the distant argue turned psychical fight between Zay and Rachel. "I take it you want me," he breathed, "to finish the story?"

No answer, but he could tell the newly discovered hunter. "The ride to the mission-site was long and quiet. I had no idea Faith had stowed-away on the truck, we had a truck back then. Anyway, once we got there we were immediately outclassed. The demon was far from ordinary. We faced something called a Greater Demon, one of the more powerful underworld dwellers. This was a class seven Fire Giant, the same one that caused the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii and his most recent accomplishment of Mount Saint Helens, California. I think its safe to say that we were out of our league. Still are," Eren tilted his head back rubbing his eyes. "It was Rachel. She was the last one standing out of all of us. By the Angel, that girl's a fighter. I swear, I think she'd be dead..." He faded out running his finger back through his hair, "if not for Faith." Eren leaned forward and snatch the other half of Cass's sandwich.

"Then what?" Eren's left eye twitch as he switched his plate with Cass's.

He didn't look up at Tamaki as he cut off the crust. "You're a smart boy, you could figure it out, hand me the salt please." Gazing up at the blond you flicked aside his bangs holding out a bottle of hot sauce. "Never mind, you're a complete idiot." Eren explained yanking the hot sauce away from him. He picked at the fries next to the sandwich. Tamaki disappeared into the corner where he pouted at being called a name.

"Do you want to hear the rest of the story?" He asked hoping the answer would be no. Unfortunately he was unnaturally eager to torture Eren. "By the Angel," Eren groaned setting his sandwich back down on the plate. "Faith's dead." Tamaki's spine contracted and his eyes filled with sorrow. Leaning back in his chair, Eren sighed. "She was burned to death saving one of our own," his voice was becoming shaking as he remembered the funeral. The last time he saw Faith's charred skeleton. The emotion that had been building up inside him since that day starting to overflow inside him. "She was the youngest hunter to receive a silver sword, which is something like a silver star in your mundane military. Even though she wasn't bound by oath to the Order, they still honored her for sacrificing herself. Hell, half the people at the funeral didn't even know her," be forced a laugh, "they just went along for the publicity. Funny how incredibly unsentimental politicians can be."

Though a smile plagued his face, the tears just won't stop inside him. He missed Faith. He missed her eccentric demeanor. The way she never turned down a fight. When she'd only get mopey because someone beat her.

Eren felt a hand being placed softly on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Eren." Tamaki said, a look of utter sorrow sown into his face. Though he seemed sincere, Eren knew he wasn't mourning for her.

"Funny," Eren said as he smiled sadly down at his shoes, "the politicians said the same thing."

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**okay, author's note (optional read)**

**in this chapter we see a new side to Eren. At first I wanted to make him out to be a cold calculating boy who would enjoyed messing with people's heads. But then I started to think, "hey, we all have different sides to ourselves and react differently to any situation we're forced to face. Just think when you read this: sometimes we're all human. **


	13. Chapter 13

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The next few days went by like clockwork. And Tamaki had learned that each hunter he'd met had a tragedy behind them. They took turns training him to master his newfound abilities and he had quickly acknowledged that each teaching style was different. For example, Rachel stuck to the traditional education style, forcing him to memorize text books of runes and magic enchantments; whereas Eren insisted in physical fighting, to which he always won.

It wasn't there teachings that Tamaki questioned. He saw the point behind them, it was Cass's lessons that confused him. For the days she was assigned to him, they'd just sit facing one another. She'd sit on top of the desk and stare at him, and he'd stare at her.

Finally one day, Cass tilted her head to the side, "Well?" She asked catching him by surprise. He immediately sat up straight, his hand flinching toward the pencil that say at the top of his desk. He'd learned from both Rachel and Eren's classes how useful a sharp object could be.

"Well, what?" He asked tentative to the now broken silence. Cass's cat-like green eyes that he'd gotten do used to, blinked.

"I'm here to answer any- hopefully all- questions you may or may not have." She replied jumping off the desk to walk around the dark room illuminated by a single light bulb dangling in the center of the ceiling. "So ask away."

Almost instantly, his mind went blank all of the questions he'd been meaning to ask her suddenly faded into nothingness. He gazed blankly at her as she climbed up on the desk next to him. For some reason they'd set up one of their many underground rooms as a classroom with several desks set up facing a long darker-colored desk.

"Why are there so many desks in this room when you only have one student?" Cass snickered as she flipped off her desk landing skillfully on her feet. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," she insisted running her fingers back through her red curls. "I was just expecting a personal question-like why don't you let any one touch you? Or, why do you let other people touch you an not me?" She said saying the questions in a gruff deep voice, trying to imitate a man. "Anyway," she said facing the wall. "When the Institute was first built," she leaned forward kicking her feet up against the wall, "thousands of young hunters came from the far corners of the world to learn here." Her voice strained as her stomach muscles did. "Usually there's an average of a hundred students per classroom."

"So why do you not like being touched?" Cass looked over at him. The blood rushing to her head, made her face turn red. She fell forward standing up and wiping her hair out of her face.

She glared at him, before storming out of the room.


	14. Chapter 14

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Faith watched her new housemates eat in silence around the table. The black-haired woman who had beaten Zayden up pretty badly, had allowed Faith to stay for as long as she liked. Her reasoning behind the fight being she liked hitting things, Faith didn't entirely understand but pretended to.

She noticed there was a lot of pretending in the household, though she saw straight through each of their acts. She could sense the grief each of them felt, each scarring them for life. Even the blond who didn't seem to know as much as the others contained a sadness that Faith couldn't describe with simplistic words. She knew she shouldn't exist, but being around these people who wanted to- who clung so disparately to their existence it was almost pathetic.

"So what are you?" The blond asked setting down a roll. Through her heightened senses and some unintended eavesdropping, Faith had learned his name to be Tamaki Suoh, the apparent heir to something. The red-haired girl next to him punched his shoulder causing him to shout in pain, even though the force she used appeared minimal.

"She's a fallen," Zay answered with a mouth full of pasta. Faith was grateful he answered for her. In truth, she still had no idea what she was. She had tracked the hunters down for answers, but upon being invited in she lost all courage to ask.

"What's a fallen?" Tamaki asked, suddenly intrigued by her. Faith felt uncomfortable as his purple eyes widened and he leaned closer to her. The redhead hit him again. Hitting seemed to be the norm around here.

"The opposite of a risen," Zay replied. It may have seemed like a joke, but his tone was very serious. Grim, would be a better word.

"Fallen are the angels sent to guard the Earth. They are literally dropped from the heavens hence their name." The dark haired boy who Faith had identified as the leader, explained.

"And risen are the sons of bitches climbing out from hell with a damn death wish." The redhead said solemnly practically stabbing her fork into her bowl of floppy angel-hair noodles. The leader and the dark haired girl shared a glance.

"So why did you decide to grace us with your wonderful presence?" Zay asked earning a punch from Rachel, who seemed to live to reprimand the boys. "What did I do wrong this time?" He complained rubbing his shoulder. Rachel shrugged as she turned and strolled away from the table and into the kitchen where she dumped her plate into the sink and buried her face into the fridge searching for dessert. Zay rolled his eyes and turned back to his teammates.

"I came in search of answers," Faith replied folding her hands neatly in her lap. Everyone froze and looked at the fallen. "When I first woke up, I had no idea where I was or who I was. So I sought out the only ones who could answer the many questions I have."

The leader leaned forward, suddenly interested in Faith. "How did you know we could answer your questions?" Faith straightened her posture staring into the dark gray eyes of obvious authority. She swallowed, her courage suddenly fading quickly.

"I was told by Angel."

That caused silenced to fill the room. No one moved, and no one spoke. Faith wondered if she had done something wrong and began to panic. She shifted nervously in her seat. The last thing she needed was for her saviors to be mad at her. "Angel?" The blond boy asked smiling stupidly. Faith mentally noted that he knew even less than she did. She began to wonder why such skilled hunters would surround themselves with such an idiot.

"The one who created us." the leader explained slamming down his fork and tilting his chair up on its hind legs, propping his feet up on the table in the process. The mood of the table suddenly turned serious as the hunters looked from one to the other.

"Guys, do you know what this means?" Zay asked excitement gleaming in his eyes. "We're famous!"


	15. Chapter 15

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The next morning, Shay was woken up by the sound of an obnoxious trumpet blaring loudly throughout the house. The bed he shared with his brother was immediately disturbed as Zay jumped straight out of it, dropping on the floor, dragging his twin down with him. The twins rolled to their feet as the trumpet ceased and a tall woman dressed professionally in an Order issued uniform. She had her shoulder-length light brown hair streaked with gold twisted up into a bun. She glared coldly down at them, and they returned her gaze. Cool gray met dark blue as the brothers sleepily wondered why she had woken them up so ridiculously early. Glancing behind the woman, at the huge grandfather clock placed in the hallway Shay was met with a view of twelve oh one. It was early, even for the hunters who woke up before the sun rose.

"Get dressed," The woman commanded turning to leave, "and come downstairs when your ready." The twins rushed to the door and watched her leave, both eying each other curiously. The twins were never ones to kept others waiting. So after the woman rounded a corner blocking her from sight they strolled after her, Shay snagging a blanket off the bed as he went. They knew the Order would never send an official for a simple inspection, but when they arrived downstairs in the large library they were greeted by three more male inspectors each clad in the navy uniform outlined in silver uniform the twins recognized from their brief visit to the Order. They eyed each other warily as the twins edged into a couch as the inspectors spread out around the room, each of them trying to ignore the pajamas the brothers wore. Shay pulled the blanket over his shoulders and leaned over on his brother, who kept a straight posture and firm gaze on the strangers. Zay was never a friendly person when it came to new people showing up unannounced. Shay though it was safe to say, his twin absolutely hated crowds. For a moment they just sat there, watching the inspectors who awkwardly spread out around the room trying to occupy themselves.

One with long pitch-black hair and a tall pointy witch hat scanned the bookshelves, making strange faces as he judged them mercilessly. Eventually he discovered one he deemed worthy of his reading flipping it open, grasping the book with one hand with the other pressed firmly against the wooden shelf. The second with his face hidden by a red hood found himself transfixed in the glass sphere full of night-children blood. While the last one whose entire face and bald head was covered in runes glared right back at Zay, silently challenging him. Zay didn't back down. He went right back to returned the challenge, and the staring contest began. It didn't end until the woman scurried into the library closely trailed by the rest of the team, who were all fully clothed in hunter gear. Zay's highly trained eye could pick out seven weapons hidden on his leader's person. He was nervous, and that made anxiety built inside both of the twins. If Eren was on-edge, there was good reason for everyone else to be. Both of the twins scooted to the edge of their seats, each equally disturbed by Eren's sudden nervousness.

"I thought I told you two to get dressed!" The woman stressed, pounding her foot against the floor. She didn't look like a brat, but Shay knew that looks could be deceiving. His brother for example, he didn't look insane.

"Wouldn't go throwing a temper-tantrum in here," Zay advised leaning back against the couch as his brother did the same.

"There's a whole bunch of chandeliers dangling right below us," Shay explained crossing his arms.

"And remember, any damages inflicted will be repaired by the one who broke it." Zay added smiling sadistically. The woman glared at the two, apparently not liking the way they looked down on her. She huffed and walked angrily toward them. The rune-covered official grabbed her wrist before she could reach the twin brothers. "Let go of me, Ara!" The man simply glared down at her with a small shake of the head. The woman relaxed and the man let go of her.

"That was-,"

"Interesting," The brothers observed with their usual finish each others sentence act. Whenever the two of them met someone new they did this, as if they needed to prove they could annoy the crap out of anyone.

The woman glared, obviously annoyed with the twins. "If you don't mind me asking," Eren started suddenly standing behind the twins' couch, "why did you wake us up so early in the morning?" The team remained silent, all of them eager to go back to bed or beat the ones who woke them up in the first place. Either way, they honestly didn't care what the Order officials had to say. No matter how powerful or high-ranked they may be.

"Actually," the woman began straightening her composure, "We've come to evaluate the newly discovered flame." Her smiled seemed a little too enthusiastic for Eren's team to handle. "You should be flattered to be in the presence of the strongest hunter team in the world: Team Christina!" The other members of her team rolled their eyes.

"Seriously lady," Shay said as his brother slid into the corner of the couch with Shay next to him, making room for the girls. "You need to act more professional."

"Yeah, you're making us loose interest." Zay agreed picking a crimson bond book off the self, "fast." Flicking it open, he held it so he and his brother could read from its pages.

"What!"

"We get it, you're here for the idiot. Go ahead." Shay instructed as his brother asked what was going to be for breakfast that morning. As the woman began throwing another temper tantrum.

"I dunno, wanna order take-out?" Cass asked stretching out across the couch, throwing her legs up onto Rachel's lap and resting her head on Shay's. "I'm craving," she paused as she considered her tastes, "Thai?"

"Nah, too spicy." Zay commented swishing aside a page, "Let's go American." Cass made a face.

"Again? Really?"

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" The woman shouted at the younger hunters who were doing anything but listening to the girl rant.

"Actually, we're trying our best to to ignore you." Zay clarified turning another page in his book. The woman's face turned a nasty shade of red. "Just take him and go, I'm hungry." He added jumping over the couch to where Eren stood and raced down stairs, Shay hot on his heels.

Eren turned to leave, the girls following his lead. "Where are you going?" the man with the hat asked. Eren stopped to hold the door open for the girls.

"I agree with Zay," he deadpanned, "I'm hungry." With that he left, leaving the blond in the library in the capable hands of the so-called 'Team Christina'.

+ O +

Christina thought the list of questions given to her were simple and easy, it was the blood work that was going to be hard. That's why she brought along Crimson Hood, whose blood magic was legendary. She lay across the couch lazily as her teammate rigged the blond up to the small device he'd brought with him, occasionally shouting a question out for him to answer. She was still pissed at the twins' attitude toward her, but found it in her heart to put aside any hostile feelings-or words-that came to mind when their names were mentioned. This mainly steamed from her attraction to the blond, as he was handsome and didn't have a clue as to what was going on around him. Everything a girl like Christina could ask for.

It turns out you can get to know someone fairly well when your interrogating them. The blond's name was Tamaki Suoh, Christina recognized the name from the Mundane world. Some high-class company or something. Either way, the boy was loaded. Christina smiled mischievously to herself, _definitely everything a girl like her could ask for. _As Crimson finished setting up the machine the sun had begun to rise. She had no idea how long it would take to set up a blood reader, but had come prepared for the worst. In which case it would take half the day to complete and she'd have to cancel most of her appointments for the day. She didn't mind, the Order paid big for small favors.

"Done," Crimson said nodding with satisfactory as he moved away from the rich boy who looked a little out-of-sorts with the wires sprouting out of his arm connecting him to the cylinder-like glass that held the function of holding and reading the genetics inside blood.

"What are you going to do?" Tamaki asked nervously as Christina turned on her side to get a better view of the blood reading. She had never seen it up close before., when the Order had done it to her, she had been unconscious .

"Crim is going to do something called a reading," she explained, "and no it has nothing to do with fortune-telling or anything like that. It's where he takes your blood and tells us everything we need to know."

"So why did you ask me about my name and birthday?" he asked curiously as Crimson switched on the device. He yelped and glared over at the man who smiled sadistically under his red hood.

"The blood can tell us only so much." Christina explained as three droplets of the red liquid was extracted from the boy's body.

"Okay," Crimson said happily yanking the cords out of the kid and tossing him a band-aid, He closed his eyes and began the reading, "Type A blood, definitely traces of Nephilim blood, healthy heart. Interesting, I haven't seen these traces since," He opened his eyes and looked curiously at Tamaki, "What are your parents names?"

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**Team Christina is not their real name, it's just their leader is too full of herself not to call her team anything else.**

**~Manta**


	16. Chapter 16

**ok, this is the first time I've asked anything from you readers. I would like you to review, comment, tell me who your favorite character is, ANYTHING! Please I would really appreciate reviews!**

**all rights reserved, enjoy:**

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"By the Angel!" Crimson exclaimed excitedly jumping up on the couch his team leader was lounging on, his dark red hood slipping from his head revealing bright orange hair sticking up in all directions and pale skin bedecked with small freckles. He wore a dark gray V-neck that showed off the one rune all hunters were branded with. The mark of the Nephilim Order, the angelic rune if power that proved that these people were truly blessed by the angel. "It's her!" He said excitedly jumping off the couch and running over to the rune-covered man. "It's really her! She's alive! Ara! She's alive!"

He ran outside the library and leaned over the rail that gave a perfect view of the living room, where the rest of Eren's team was relaxing. "Cass! Come up here!" He shouted down at her. The other redhead was on her feet in seconds.

"What's wrong?" She yelled back a smile tugging at her lips. She had no idea that Crimson Nightshade was hidden beneath that strange red cloak, now bellowing it his sides as he jumped excitedly up and down.

"She's alive!" He screamed back happily running back into the green-carpeted library. "Whoo!" He climbed on to the back of the couch, jumping on the latter causing it slid back. Before it could stop, Crimson was already off it, shaking the guy in the hat's shoulders. "Can you believe it, Joss?" The warlock smiled and grabbed Crim's shoulders, considerably calming him down.

"No I can't believe it, Crim." Joss stated, "What if he's lying?"

"Possible but unlikely," Crimson answered his smile faltering slightly. "The blood is too similar-."

"But it has been awhile since you've seen Miss Fray's, correct?" Joss questioned causing Crim's smile to completely vanish.

"You could always compare the blood samples," Cass suggested leaning against the doorframe. "How do you know my mother's alive?"

Crimson shared a look with Joss, both debating on whether or not to tell the young huntress. "She's going to figure it out sooner or later." Christina clarified for the them.

"Mr. Suoh's blood holds trace amounts of her DNA," Crim explained glancing over at blond who had absolutely no idea what was happening. "And according to him, she's still alive."

"Does this mean..." Cass looked over at the blond, "we're related?" Finally grasping the topic of the conversation, Tamaki looked expectantly up at the red-cloaked hunter.

Crim shrugged, "Its too soon to jump to any conclusions. If you'd let me, I could compare blood, but that still wouldn't be enough. I'd have to take it back to the Order. All of my equipment is there."

"And we'll be the first to know if you find anything?"

Crimson smiled determinedly. The two had been childhood friends, having graduated the same year and were easily defined as best friends. "Of course." When Cass didn't move Christina threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Honestly, Cass! I know its a risk to just be giving away you blood like this, but you might have a brother! By the Angel, don't you want to find out what he truly is to you?" The red haired girl glared at her. Knowing the immeasurable damage his friend could inflict on her, Crim slowly pulled his team leader away from Cass.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to. The silent brothers could probably figure it out without a blood read." Joss suggested. At the mention of the archivers of the supernatural world, shivers were sent down their spines. Even Tamaki, who had no idea what silent brothers were, felt the chills cascade down his limbs.

"I think about it," Cass said leaving the room, and dragging the blond out with her. Instead of heading back down the stairs, she lead him up them. She guided him toward her room where she gently closed the door and twisted the lock. Then lead him to her balcony where she made sure the door was closed. "Listen," she told him sternly. Though she was a full head shorter than him, she was much more powerful. "Don't tell anyone about what you heard this morning." She commanded glaring straight into his purple irises.

"Why not?" He asked afraid to question any further. The girl who just might be his sister appeared to be in a really bad mood. It sort of hurt his feelings. Maybe she didn't want an idiot like him as family. "We might be family."

"As far as I'm concerned everyone at the Institute is family." Cass replied slipping down the side of the railing until she was in a sitting position. Yanking her knees up to her chest she began to whisper, "Eren's my big brother. Rachel's my big sister. Zay is my big brother. Shay is my big brother." She looked up at him. "You are my big brother. And everything that is mine is yours. You need to start thinking about us as your family. Here, in this world, all we have is each other. We can only trust each other. Everyone else is just a big distraction."

Tears began streaming down her cheeks, but she continued to speak. "Mundies? All they know how to do is lie and cheat. We hunters, we know even less. If something goes wrong we kill the person who caused it. If there's someone in our way, we kill them. If there's no escape, we kill ourselves." Her eyes were puffy and her face red, and her tears just couldn't stop. Tamaki sat down next to her, grabbing her hand in the process.

"Cass, no matter what, I know everyone at this Institute will do anything to protect you." She leaned against his shoulder. "Even me."

She smiled and inhaled sharply, ceasing all tears. "How could you say such a thing?" She asked squeezing his hand. "Why would an angel like you, protect a demon like me?"

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**In case you didn't get the memo: REVEIW!**


	17. Chapter 17

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The party turned out to be more of a dinner, the highlight of the evening being Rachel's disappointment as she learned her team was only invited because of a favor Eren did for the host back in the day, not to mention the host's roundness of Cass. Despite having spent half the day picking out a dress, Rachel had stressed that she still wasn't satisfied with it.

She wore a simple black dress with a sequin sown flame etched into the fabric at the waistband. She had curled her hair for the occasion, only to have it yanked up into a professional bun the revealed celestial earnings. Celestial being the only material that could see into the future and compliment any woman's natural beauty, it quickly became popular merchandise on the hunter market. Since Rachel was a healer, she had little training in the offensive. But that didn't stop her from carrying around a celestial enhanced whip disguised as a silver bracelet wrapped around her neck like a necklace. While the rest of her team had decked themselves out in all sorts of weapons. She stood in the center of the reception room, her arms crossed.

Cass wished she was in her position as she danced awkwardly with Dominic Due Fay, son and successor of the current east councilman in the Order. Dominic was a nice guy at heart, but when he was around other people- especially his father- he turned into a self-centered jerk who the universe revolved around. It had been his father's wish for him to marry Cass, easily the strongest hunter he'd ever met. Not of out respect or love for the girl, but out of greed. What father didn't want their son to marry a strong capable girl? The problem with his plan, was that Cass was seven years younger than his son and had absolutely no intention of marriage at the age of fifteen.

Councilman Due Fay wasn't the first nor the latest who wanted her to marry into the family. Though they knew nothing of Cass herself, they knew almost everything about her power and desired it more than anything else in the world. Power-hungry aristocrats with nothing better to do.

"You know," Dominic stated as he twirled Cass around by his fingers, "my father calls you the blazing-haired beauty?" She held back a smirk as the heir stopped her spinning and pulled her close to him as the danced across the room. "He says you slay demons better than most hunters his age."

"I certainly do feel better, now that I know I hunt better than sixty-year old men." Dominic laughed lightly at her joke as he switched positions with her.

"Don't let him catch you saying things like that," he told her sarcastically, "He might pose a challenge to you, Blazing-haired Beauty."

"I can't decide if your trying to compliment me, or my power." Cass told him honestly.

Dominic leaned in close as he let her fall back slightly catching her in his arms. "Why not both?"

Meanwhile, across the dance floor and stuffing their faces in the all-you-can-eat buffet, the boys enjoyed their time at the Due Fay party. While the twins shoved all sorts if foods into their huge mouths, Eren and Tamaki watched jealously as Dominic Due Fay danced across the room with Cass reluctantly allowing him to lead.

"So what's the deal with them?" Tamaki asked jerking his head in the direction of the twins when he was really wanting to know what that creep was doing with his little sister.

"When the twins hear 'all-you-can-eat' they think it's a genuine challenge." Eren replied before turning his attention back on the dancing redhead. "Cass has been offered many marriage proposals everyday for the last six months. Mainly because of the power struggle between hunters and slayers."

"What's the difference?" Tamaki questioned half-heartedly, still wanting to break the creep's nose.

"Slayers are bred with the specific purpose of killing one species in particular. Hunters, we wait for a creature to break the code of the Order before killing them. Slayers are the rarer ones people are still debating why. Personally, I believe because, while they are unbelievable strong against on creature they are completely defenseless against another." Eren's explanation only bored the blond more.

"Yeah, and why are we here?" Eren shrugged, still unsure on why they didn't just burn the letter like every other piece of junk mail they'd ever received.

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**one word: review**

**_~Manta_**


	18. Chapter 18

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* * *

The next morning, Eren was woken by the sound of footsteps. He reacted in the only way he knew possible, offensively. He grabbed the long sword that had always found a spot beside he when he slept and quietly raced to the originations of the noise.

Possibilities raced through his mind of who could be at the Institute at this hour. There was always the probability of burglars, but it was highly unlikely. The building was rigged with all sorts of Mundane repellants, and of course hunters would have better things to do than steal others goods. Then there was the presumption of a monster attack. It had to be a powerful demon to break through all the defenses, but if it were a monster there'd be the screams of the faeries. Since the footsteps were the only sounds in the Institute, next to Eren's own soft breathing, the chances of a sneak attack was slimmed.

That left only two more options, either it was another hunter seeking lodging or it was a terrible force of nature that hardly ever made house-calls. Eren practically prayed it was the first.

Creeping towards the second floor living room, Eren exhaled cautiously. Deciding that he should react fast, he pushed the door open, rolling sideways on his shoulder and crouching in a defensive position, his sword drawn.

The person inside waiting for him made his breath catch in his throat. He swallowed hard as he approached Eren without noise or sound.

_Retrieve the Fray girl._

Cass had a stiff posture as the silent brother examined her. Eren had woken her immediately after Brother Alexander made his appearance known. He told her that the Silent Brother had requested both her and Tamaki's presences. She could only assume Team Christina had something to do with their sudden interest in the two.

Still, her mind had hit a total blank when the Archiver glared at her. Though she'd seen them many times in her life time, she would never get used to their chilling appearance. No matter how different they might've been before, each were completely bald with their lips sown shut. Their robes were similar to discolored parchment which matched their harsh black eyes that seemed to glare into your very soul.

Cass had never seen something so frightening before. She cringed as he leaned forward, looking exclusively into her eyes, trying hard not to look away.

_And you are sure he's related to her? _

Cass winced. No matter how many times they transferred thoughts into her head, she'd never get used to it. "Yes, there are some direct chromosomes linked to her." She replied, "What we really want to know is his relation to me."

Brother Alexander didn't say anything, but she could tell he was in deep thought. Grateful he was gazing out the window and not into her soul, Cass relaxed a bit. She slumped against the couch, exhaling with relief. "Could you help us?"

He hesitated before nodding.

_It can be arranged._

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**Heads up, the plot will thicken soon enough **

**~Manta **


	19. Chapter 19

**all rights reserved, enjoy:**

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The City of Bones was just as ominous as Cass remembered it to be. Parting her bright red locks over her shoulders, she anxiously descended the staircase spinning towards hell's burning flames in a downward spiral.

She had been down these stairs before only as a child, but the memories were still ever-present in the back of her mind. She clawed at the walls as memories flashed across her vision. Countless days in darkness, surround by ash-enforced walls and archivists around every corner. A small flapping noise caused her to flinch, snatching the his hand in the process. Though it had been a simple bat, Cass couldn't help but feel the chill of fear inch across her skin.

She was grateful Tamaki followed very closely behind her as he squeezed her sweaty palm reassuringly. Cass grimaced, swallowing hard to rid the expanding lump from her throat, along with the tears building up inside her.

She recognized the complex halls and intricate arches that made up the city as well as the dimly lit torches that lined the main passage way that she knew led into the conference hall, where no doubt the rest of the Brothers were waiting.

"Welcome to the City of Bones," she whispered thankful her words didn't catch in her throat. She felt the boy shift uneasily against her, showing visible proof he was just as nervous as she was. "The most secure supernatural areas along the United States East Coast."

"U.S.?" He asked, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "How did we get here?"

"Shut up," she advised glancing around anxiously, "it's best not to question magic statistics."

Brother Alexander led them through the halls, not saying a word or making a sound. Then again, when you have a silence rune tattooed permanently into your skin, being quiet is a simple task. Being a Silent Brother required a lot of dedication and sacrifice. Mainly towards their self-deprivation of sound.

Making sure Tamaki stayed close to her, Cass followed the silent being through the maze of corridors and hallways, each probably leading to a different place. If he wondered even a foot away, he'd be left in utter darkness with no definite path back to the surface. Most likely straying to the path of insanity, before ultimately death.

As the trio came to a stop just outside a narrow corridor which Cass recognized as the entrance to the conference hall.

_Through here the bridge of sub consciousness will be crossed._ His voice was raspy and bone-chilling. It was difficult to think Cass had the courage to remain calm when requesting a reading. _Once you enter here will be no turning back, now is the time to decide to turn back or continue forward. _

"We came this far," her voice was more powerful than her cowardly emotion practically screaming at her to run, "if you wanted to give us a choice you should've asked us at the cemetery." Brother Alexander nodded and strolled into the hall, the hunters trailing closely behind.

_Very well. _

The two stood uncomfortably in the center of the room. Around them, what seemed to be the entire Silent Brother population stared down at them ready to begin. "Close your eyes," Cass whispered to him. And as their eyelids closed, the reading began.

The Brothers forced their way into both their minds, digging through their thoughts and memories.

_What is your name?_

Cass heard them all chant together, "Cassandra Anne Fray!" She shouted back at them.

_What is your name?_

"Cassandra Anne Fray!"

_Name!_

Her head was spinning as her past flashed across her vision plane. She felt warm liquid mixed with pain rush down her hand, and as words replaced images as two familiar names caught her attention. Written in fancy cursive lettering was one she recognized. As she read it she muttered it under her breath.

"Cassandra Anne de Grantaine."

_Correct. _

* * *

**Review & tell me who your favorite character is**

**~ Manta**


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